Long Term Care Homes (LTCH) – there are over 600 LTCH in Ontario that receive funding from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, to provide care to seniors. If someone has a minor complaint (non police matter) regarding one of these facilities (e.g. cold meals, the facility is not clean enough, inappropriate services), the complainant can contact: MOHLTC Complaints Lines at 1-866-434-0144.

Retirement Homes – there are an estimated 750 privately owned and operated retirement homes in Ontario, the majority of which do not have the same regulations or inspectionprocesses as the Government regulated LTCH.

Approximately 275 of these retirement homes are members of the Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA). ORCA is a non-governmental agency that monitors member homes for compliance with their Association regulations.

If someone has a minor complaint (non police matter) regarding one of these facilities, (e.g. a cold meal, the facility is not clean enough, or inappropriate services), the complainant can contact: ORCA at the Complaints Response and Information Service (CRIS) 1-800-361-7254. The CRIS line is funded by the Ontario Government to mediate minor non-criminal issues between a complainant and a retirement home.

For more information go to :

The Hamilton Police Service
http://www.hamiltonpolice.on.ca/HPS/Seniors/home.htm

The O.P.P. Senior’s Assistance Team
http://www.opp.ca/Community/CrimePrevention/opp_000267.html

The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/